The leadership of the Coalition of Private Transport Operators has postponed the group’s intended strike, originally scheduled for November 29, 2021, to Wednesday, December 1.
According to the Union, the decision was taken after it had an emergency meeting on November 25 with the government with assurances that fuel prices would be reduced in the next fuel pricing window on Tuesday, November 30, 2021.
Earlier this week, the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) ordered its members to wear red armbands as a signal to alert the government of its intended strike action due to the constant increment of fuel prices in the country.
Addressing the media, on behalf of the Coalition, General Secretary of the GPRTU, Godfred Abulbira Adogma said they will embark on the strike if the announced prices of fuel in the next pricing window by the National Petroleum Authority prove otherwise.
“The issue of reducing the tax is just to get the end result of getting fuel prices to come down and, as a result, the report we received from the Minister is that, from Thursday, the price window will be announced by the NPA and prices of fuel will come down. That is the assurance. So at the tail end of this discussion, the house has concluded that we move the strike from Monday to Wednesday so that we will all observe the pricing window on Tuesday.”
There have been demands by commercial driver associations for the government to remove some taxes that will amount to a GH¢1.50 reduction on the price of fuel per litre.
All commercial drivers in the country on Tuesday, November 23, 2021, put on red armbands as a signal to alert the government of their intended strike.
They have also given indications that they will be forced to increase their fares if nothing is done about the situation.
According to them, all efforts to use the laid down processes to get their grievances about the rising cost of fuel across have not yielded any positive result.
The price of fuel in the country has increased significantly over the past six months, with many drivers lamenting about the situation.
Already, the Ashanti Regional Branch of GPRTU , and 15 other drivers’ unions, are expected to embark on the strike if the government fails to address their concerns in the coming days.
—citinewsroom
